Because
by Bookjunkie-22
Summary: Liberty left for a year. Now she's back with two surprises for JT. But is he ready for them?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer- I don't own Degrassi TNG. I do however own Elizabeth and James.

Summary- Liberty and JT had sex the summer after 10th grade. She got pregnant and told her mom, who told her dad. When he found out he was furious and sent Liberty away before she ever told JT. He was heartbroken, not knowing where or why his girlfriend disappeared. It's now a year later and Liberty has just turned 18. She made the decision to return to Degrassi now that her parents couldn't legally keep her away.

"Okay so I'll be here to pick them up at three." Liberty told the daycare worker.

"Okay Ms..." the woman checked her paper, "Yorke."

"It's Van Zandt." Liberty corrected.

"Oh I'm sorry, their names..." the woman apologized.

"It's fine." Liberty said as she reached down to kiss her children, "I love you both."

"This is it Tobes." J.T. Yorke said as he entered the hallway with his best friend Toby Issacs, and his girlfriend Mia Jones, "The start of our last year of high school."

"Hard to believe we're starting another year." Emma Nelson said walking up behind him, with her own best friend Manny Santos.

"Hard to believe we're starting a year without Liberty." Manny said.

J.T. froze and glared at her, Manny held up her hands in mock surrender, while Mia piped up, "Whose Liberty?"

"No one." J.T. said through clenched teeth.

"Doesn't look like no one to me." Toby said as the four friends saw a person they never thought they'd see again.

Liberty paced outside the school, "Okay Liberty, you can do this." She took a deep breath, and walked through the door.

"Liberty?" Emma was the first to speak.

Liberty sucked in a breath, and turned around to face the people she left behind, "Hello Emma, Manny, Toby...J.T."

"Oh my god!" Manny said as she and Emma hugged her, "What happened to you?"

"I temporarily relocated, but now I'm back to finish up my education at the school I started it in." Liberty said as J.T. avoided her glances.

"So you're back for good?" Emma asked.

Liberty nodded, "For the remainder of this school year."

"I'm Mia." the girl Liberty didn't know spoke up.

"Liberty Van Zandt, former student council president of this fine school." Liberty held out her hand.

"For like a month, before you disappeared." J.T. muttered.

"Circumstances being what they were, I had to resign." Liberty stated.

"I'm Mia Jones, J.T.'s girlfriend." Mia said wrapping her arm around J.T.'s shoulder.

Liberty froze temporarily before turning to Emma and Manny, "Well this has been fun but I have to get to the principal's office to get my schedule."

"Try to get into Mr. Simpson's home room, like old times." Manny said as she and Emma waved goodbye to their friend.

"Wow." Toby said.

"What?" J.T. asked.

"Liberty Van Zandt." Toby said.

"Yeah?" he asked again.

"Toby's just surprised she's back after a whole year." Emma said when she noticed Mia looking curiously at J.T., "Let's get to homeroom."

Liberty paced in front of the media emersions classroom door, trying to drum up the will power to walk through the door and face the love of her life/ father of her children and his girlfriend.

"You planning on joining us Liberty?" Mr. Simpson asked opening the door.

"Yes, sir."

"Welcome back." he said giving her a quick hug.

"Thank you sir." she smiled as she headed for the empty seat near Emma and Manny.

"I can't believe it." Emma said, "We thought you were gone for good, last year. What with the whole leaving and not saying goodbye to anyone, not even... J.T."

"He was heartbroken Lib." Manny said.

"Yeah it shows." Liberty said sarcastically looking at J.T. and Toby, "So where is Mia? Not in our homeroom?"

"Try not in our grade. She's only 16." Manny said.

"Yeah J.T. started dating her a few months ago. The first few months after you left he just wouldn't believe you were actually gone. He claimed you'd be back any day to tell us you were conducting some kind of experiment on all of us and you'd really never left." Emma said.

"Finally the last month of school this girl shows up, and at first we think, 'oh cute kid.' But get this she's a teenage mother, doesn't know who the father is, and she's busy making J.T. into instant daddy." Manny continued.

"I'm sorry ladies, are we interrupting you're chat?" Snake asked crouching down next to the three girls.

"No, sir." the three answered automatically.

"Cause we could wait, if you have something to share." he said.

"No, sir." they repeated.

"Good."

Liberty looked over at J.T. as the lesson continued. He had missed her. Yet here he was playing house with some girl. Of course she didn't blame him for his lack of involvement in her children's lives. She blamed her parents for that and always will. It's just that she had some sort of irrational school girl fantasy of walking into the building and seeing J.T. and him seeing her, and they'd run over to one another and embrace and she's tell him about the babies that he'd be so happy they'd skip the first day of school and picked them up from daycare so they could all be together.

It was stupid, she knew. But she didn't expect to find him with a new girlfriend. She expected him to wait for her.

Her first few classes went by in a whirl and before she knew it, it was lunchtime. After locating her locker and dumping her books she caught up to Emma, Manny,Toby, and J.T.

"So how much did you not miss the food from the caf?" Emma asked as they paid for their lunch.

"Oh so-" Liberty started to answer Emma's question when she tripped over something on the ground and fell. Luckily her food remained on the plate but her purse spilled every which way and where.

Emma, Toby, and Manny reached down to help her pick up her stuff, while J.T. held out a hand to her.

"Thanks." she mumbled, trying to gather her things.

"Oh Lib!" Manny said looking at some pictures that fell out of the purse, "Cute kids. Are they your niece and nephew?"

"No." Liberty mumbled grabbing random items off the floor.

J.T. reached over and picked up a blue oxford health card, but before handing it to Liberty he glanced at the name, 'James Yorke' and realized it must be his, but then the date of birth caught his eye, 2006. He was 18 years old and this card was saying he was one.

"So who are they?"

"They're um..." Liberty was at a loss for words, when she saw what J.T. had in his hands, "J.T.!" she said grabbing the card from him, and covering her mouth with one hand.

J.T.'s eyes widened in realization, "Oh my God."

'Brilliant Liberty. This was the perfect way for him to find out.' she thought to herself as all they could do was stare at one another, while Toby, Emma, and Manny only looked on trying to figure out what was going on.

Okay that was chapter one. Please tell me what you think. Mia isn't going to be like she is in the show, she's gonna be very OOC. J.T and Liberty will have a confrontation next chapter, so review if you wanna read more.

-Em


	2. Chapter 2

Liberty didn't know how she did it. How she managed to make it home without a single word from J.T. He didn't say anything at lunch cause Mia came up behind him and asked his help with something. She avoided her locker till the end of the day. She was just lucky that the seats were taken around her so J.T. was far away from her in History and English.

As soon as the bell rang she was out of her seat, ignoring Emma and Manny's calls. Within five minutes of the bell ringing Liberty was already in her car and pulling out of the parking lot.

When she picked up the twins from daycare, they were excited to see her, and she them, but she knew she wouldn't feel better till she was home. Or so she thought.

A few minutes after she had arrived at her apartment, someone knocked on the door. Liberty glanced at the twins in their car seats watching School House Rock. She of course knew that they weren't retaining any of the information being told to them at such a young age, but they were the children of Liberty Van Zandt, no doubt they were bound for greatness.

Liberty contemplated how every parent probably thought that of their child, and many were wrong, well not necessarily wrong cause all children are wonderful, except spoiled brats, but her kids would never be spoiled, when someone knocked on the door again. She realized she was on her way to open it when she distracted herself.

Shaking her head with a slight laugh she opened the door without looking through the peephole. She froze as she was confronted with the angry face of one J.T. Yorke.

"So what was up with J.T. today?" Sean asked as he sat in the Nelson-Simpson kitchen with his girlfriend Emma.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I was sitting next to him in Kwan's class today, he kept shooting daggers and Liberty."

"Probably still angry for last year. You weren't here, you didn't see how hurt he was when she just left." Emma said, "Not even a word. I mean he only just moved on, he's probably still in love with her."

"I would be mad at her to." Manny said walking up the stairs.

"We don't know why she left." Emma reasoned.

"But with no word to anyone, least of all J.T., who she claimed to care about?" Manny asked.

"Maybe there wasn't anytime." Emma said as she poured another cup of juice for Manny.

"So Liberty, welcome back." J.T. said.

She could hear the sarcasm in his voice, but she stood her ground and positioned herself so she was in the middle of the doorway, the children out of site, "How do you know where I live?"

"I checked the office. Told the secretary we had a project to do and you forgot to give me your address." he said.

"So you lied to an administrator?"

"Yeah, I'd get off your high horse right about now if I was you Liberty." he told her angrily.

"You don't know anything about me J.T."

"Yeah, you told me that once, before you went psycho on my locker. You may have been right then, but you're wrong now." he said, "I know, The Great Liberty Van Zandt wrong? Perish the thought."

Liberty was getting tired of his tone, she was about to tell him where to go when she heard a small wail. She immediately abandoned the door and went to pick up her son. As she made soothing noises and assured him that mommy was there she finally noticed J.T. had followed her and was staring in shock.

"Liberty," he started off slowly, "Are they... I mean... is he, and is she...?"

"Yes." she said softly putting her son back in his seat.

"And to what do I owe this pleasure Sweet Potato?" Paige asked as she opened her door, "It's kinda a long drive to Banting so I'm assuming you have a purpose for this visit."

"Yeah." J.T. said, sitting on the couch next to her, "Do you remember Liberty?"

"That girl you dated last year?" Paige asked, he nodded, "Yeah, I know she left during school last year and a big part of you left with her."

"What?" he asked.

"Well Sweet Potato, when she left you stopped being you. You stopped joking around about everything. You didn't care about school, like any of us ever really did, but it was different for you J.T." Paige said.

"Liberty's back." J.T. said after a minute.

"Oh Hon that's great." Paige said.

"With two six month old babies."

"Oh."

"And they're mine." he finished.

Paige's eyes shot open wide, "Oh."

"Yeah." J.T. nodded.

"So is that why she left last year?" Paige asked.

J.T. shrugged, "I didn't ask."

"Well where was she for a whole year?"

"I didn't ask."

"What are their names?", she asked, off his blank look she added, "What did you ask?"

"If they were mine."

"Okay and then?"

"I left and drove."

"Here?" J.T. nodded.

Liberty cried herself to sleep that night. She had no idea how she was gonna do this. It was all that stupid fantasies fault. The second J.T. found out about them he left, didn't even ask their names, just asked if they were his and left. He was supposed to take her in his arms, not run.

She knew she'd been raising them for six months without major problems. She had welfare, and they were pretty health for babies, but... six months was one thing... eighteen years was a very long time.

Liberty took a deep breath and repeated the events from the day before. She entered the school with her head held high. She didn't even look J.T.'s direction as she walked to class with Emma. She didn't acknowledge him at lunch and when Kwan assigned chairs in English she didn't even look up when he was moved next to her.

As she was heating up dinner she heard a knock on her door. She glanced at the twins sleeping in their cribs, turned on the motor and walked to the door. She didn't even need to look through the peephole as she opened the door to J.T.

"What are their names? Why did you leave? Where have you been for the past year?" he demanded in one breath.

"Shh! They're sleeping." Liberty said pushing him into the hallway and following herself, "Their names are Elizabeth and James."

"Elizabeth?" she nodded, "After..um... after..."

"After your great grandmother." Liberty finished.

"And James after..."

"You." J.T. nodded.

"Why did you leave?" he asked.

Liberty sat down leaning against her door, "I can't answer that J.T. I'm sorry."

"Why can't you?" he asked.

"I'm sorry J.T." she said. A moment of silence passed when they both heard the twins stirring. JT held the door open for her and followed her in. As she picked up James, Elizabeth started to cry, before Liberty had time to react JT reached down and picked up his daughter. The small child stopped crying.

"You should have told me." JT said finding himself angry.

"Oh yeah, I'm sure that would have gone real well, 'Hey JT remember when I fluffed your ego and told you to use an XL condom, and it fell off mid coitus? Well goes what daddy?'" Liberty asked sarcastically.

"Oh and running away, crushing m- I mean everyone who cared about you, that's a much better way." he said rocking Elizabeth.

"I didn't mean for it to happen that way." she said placing James in the playpen.

"Well it did." he said putting Elizabeth with her brother, "I gotta go."

"JT, I'm," Liberty started to call after him but he was already out the door, "Sorry." she finished softly.

After talking to Liberty and holding Elizabeth, JT needed a break. Things were piling up all of a sudden and he couldn't deal with it. About ten minutes after leaving Liberty's apartment his cell phone rang. "Mia" the caller id read.

"Hey." he said, "Uh you wanna meet tonight? Well yeah okay. I'll meet you at the Dot." JT hung up and sighed, dinner with Mia and Isabella, not really the break he was looking for.

"Hey man." Spinner said as JT sat down at the counter.

"Hey Spinner, soda please."

"Yep, so where's the Mrs. and child?" Spinner joked.

JT groaned and let his head hit the table, "So you've talked to Paige already? Look Spinner don't tell anyone okay? Not even Toby, Manny, and Emma know about me and Liberty yet."

"You and Liberty?" Spinner asked confused, "I was talking about that Mia chick. What about Liberty?"

JT's eyes widened, "Nothing!"

"JT!" Mia called walking in.

"Mia, Bella. Hey." he said shooting a pleading glance to Spinner before heading over to a table,

"So what have you been up to today?" Mia asked placing Isabella in JT's lap.

JT looked down at the small girl. Yesterday he would have thought nothing of this, but today all he could think as he held her was, 'She's not mine.'

Please review. I hope you guys like where I'm going with this.

-Em


	3. Chapter 3

Emma bounded up to Liberty's locker before lunch, "Hey, I'm throwing a party at my house tomorrow night. Kind of a 'we survived the first week of school' thing. You wanna come?"

Liberty smiled at her friend, "I'll try."

"Good, cause it's also a welcome back Liberty party." Emma grinned.

"Then how can I miss it?" Liberty said as the two walked towards the caf.

Once again Liberty and JT avoided talking that day. Mia found nothing strange about it but Toby, Manny, and Emma knew better. Liberty started to feel at ease when she fell back into her old routine at Degrassi. She couldn't really join any clubs like her previous years at the school, or run for student council president, because of her home situation but for the most part she reconnected with all her old friends minus of course JT. But that was another story entirely.

JT showed up at her door for the third day in a row, and Liberty realized that she and JT were also forming a routine. They ignored one another during school hours but he showed up after to talk.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Was the first thing out of his mouth when she opened the door, James in her arms.

She handed him the baby and walked over to the kitchen, "We did have this conversation yesterday did we not?"

"You didn't answer me yesterday." he stated, marveling at the fact that he was holding his son in his arms, but still trying to maintain a strong tone to Liberty.

"What makes you think today will be different?" Liberty dismissed, pulling a jar of baby food out of the cabinet, and handing it to JT, she took James out of his arms and put him in his high chair, she then handed JT a small baby spoon, and continued what she was doing in the kitchen.

JT stared at her, then looked down at James unscrewed the cap to the jar and began feeding him. No more words were exchanged as JT finished feeding the baby. He put the child in his playpen and walked out the door.

Liberty paused from writing her English paper to watch him leave. She looked at the clock. 20 minutes. Well that was a record. She went back to her paper, but Elizabeth started crying and she abandoned it for her daughter.

JT was leaning against the door willing himself to go when he heard a cry coming from the apartment. "Go back in." He said aloud to himself, "Just go in and ask her if she needs help." He had his hand on the doorknob when the wails ceased. His hand dropped and he muttered, "Coward." to himself as he left the building.

"JT we need to talk." Toby said. JT had shown up at his house more than an hour ago and so far all they'd done was play video games.

"Tobes, do you remember when Liberty tutored me so I'd take her to the dance?" JT asked out of the blue.

"Back in 8th year? Yeah."

"And when she did that project about me for media emersions class?"

"Yeah, I helped her with it." Toby chuckled, but JT ignored it and continued.

"And when we did that play in 10th year?"

"Yes, I remember the JT and Liberty wonder years. Do you have a point?" Toby asked impatiently.

"In 11th year she was different." JT stated, "Most of the summer leading up to 11th year she was different."

"Okay, but she seems like the same old Liberty to me now." he said.

"That's because she is the same old Liberty again. Tobes in year 11 she was pregnant." JT said.

Toby chocked on the sandwich he was eating, "What?" he demanded. JT nodded, "Well what happened? Is that why she left? Did you know all this time?"

"I don't know what happened, I don't know why she left, and I just found out Tuesday, when I found my sons health card on the ground." JT answered in order.

"What did Mia say when you told her?" Toby asked, JT looked at his feet, "You didn't tell her!"

"What was I supposed to say, 'my ex-girlfriend just showed up with my twins, sorry I didn't mention them, but truth be told I just found out myself.'"

"Twins?" Toby echoed.

"A boy and a girl. It's horrible Tobes, I never knew it was possible to love someone you didn't even know, but I do. The minute I held Elizabeth in my arms and the second she handed me James, I knew I loved them." JT said laying down on Toby's bed, "Elizabeth looks just like Liberty, she has her eyes, and James is so... fat, but cute baby fat, not Heather Sinclair's step sister fat." Toby grinned at JT describing his children, "I fed James and he got so messy and he kept trying to grab the spoon and it was really hard, and Liberty... she's been doing this for six months with two kids and no help from anyone."

"Well you know Liberty Van Zandt. She always has to do everything on her own. She's never accepted help with anything." Toby said.

"I know, and that's what makes me so angry. Not that she left so much as... she kept me out of my kid's lives. If she didn't move back I might never know them." JT said angrily.

"There isn't anything you can do about it now except try to work this out with her so you can be a part of their lives now." Toby reasoned.

JT said nothing.

Liberty assured the sitter she'd be home by eleven at the very latest and headed for Emma and Manny's home, the following night. To say she wasn't looking forward to seeing her friends and being a normal high school girl was a lie but to say she wasn't looking forward to leaving the twins with a new babysitter was an understatement. She had to keep assuring herself that nothing would happen and the twins would be sleeping soundly by the time she got home the whole way to the Simpson-Nelson home.

Manny was the first to greet her when she walked through the door.

"Hey, I'm so glad you made it!" she said hugging Liberty, "Want some cake?"

"No Manny! No cake till all the guests arrives." Emma scolded.

"But I really want some." Liberty listened bemused at their banter.

"Hey Lib." Sean said giving her a quick hug.

Liberty smiled and moved her hair to one side of her head, in a side ponytail, and said, "What's up hot stuff?"

Sean rolled his eyes and laughed, "Towerz wanted to kick my ass after that."

"I wanted to kick your ass after that." Liberty laughed.

"And thankfully no one kicked my ass for being the one to tell him to do it in the first place." JT said walking up behind Liberty, Mia had her arms wrapped around his waist.

"You?" Liberty asked confused.

"I told him that uh... he had to be straight with you and tell you he didn't like you." JT said sheepishly.

"Actually I think your exact words were, "Hint is not in Liberty's vocabulary. You have to be brutal." Sean said smirking and walking away from the group.

Liberty made a face and hit JT lightly in the arm, "Not only can I define hint, but I can say it in three languages."

"Mommy." Isabella said clinging to her mother's legs.

"Hi babe. Liberty this is my daughter Isabella. She's almost four." Mia said.

Liberty pasted a fake smile on her face and nodded.

"JT will you keep an eye on her for a second I'm gonna go refill her sippy cup." Mia asked, JT nodded.

"So where are the twins?" he asked when Mia was out of earshot.

"At home with a sitter. I wasn't aware of the extended child invitation." Liberty said looking pointedly at Isabella, who was trying to climb into JT's lap, "I'm gonna go find Manny and Emma." she added not being able to stand the sight of JT with a child other than theirs.

"Da." was what Liberty heard in response when she was about five feet away, and she froze.

"No, JT. Not dad. JT."

"JD." the little girl said.

"Close enough." JT said and Liberty was able to move again.

Liberty blinked back her tears and glanced at the clock. She'd only been at the party for twenty minutes but it already felt like an eternity. She wondered momentarily if this was how long it felt for JT the day before when he'd been at her apartment. She certainly felt like leaving as he'd done, but she knew she couldn't do that to Emma and Manny. So she set out to find them as she told JT she was gonna. But instead she went out to sit on the porch swing.

"There you are." Emma said walking out to her, "We've been looking all over."

"Emma, you know how I left last year?" Liberty asked.

"Yeah?" Emma asked sitting next to Liberty on the porch swing.

"I was pregnant." Liberty said.

"Oh." Emma's voice expressed no feeling but Liberty knew she was shocked.

"I have two kids. The twins in the picture Manny picked up on Tuesday. They're mine." she continued, "And JT's."

"Does he know?" Emma asked.

"Yeah. He figured it out and confronted me about it, and for the past few days he's been coming over after school to see them I think. But also to argue with me. It's just that when I see him hold Elizabeth or James I forget for a minute that I'm a single mom and I let myself imagine that we're still together and I never left and we're happy. Don't get me wrong. I am happy with the two of them. Elizabeth and James are my world, but it's a different kind of happiness."

"Why did you leave?" Emma finally asked.

"JT keeps asking me that, and I can't tell him." she admitted, "And it's not because I left over him. I didn't think he'd make a bad father or any of the other ego damaging things that are most likely running through his head cause he is after all JT Yorke. I left cause I had to and that's all there is to it."

"What do you mean?" Emma was confused.

Liberty opened her mouth to speak but her watch beeped, letting her know it was 10:30 already time to head home, "Thanks for listening to me Emma."

"Anytime Liberty." Emma said truthfully as Liberty left.

"Hey." JT said greeting Emma, "You seen Liberty?"

"She just left." she nodded towards Liberty's car pulling away.

JT took the seat Liberty had vacated as Emma smacked him in the arm hard, "Ow! What?"

"We've been best friends since year five and you didn't tell me about your children." Emma whispered angrily.

"Who told- Liberty?"

"Yes, Liberty. It should have been you, you jerk." Emma mumbled.

"Sorry. I'm still getting used to it myself." he said. Emma leaned her head on JT's shoulder, "I mean Em these kids they're beautiful. They get they're looks from Liberty hands down."

"Good, I'd feel bad for them if they looked like you." she joked; he reached over and swatted at her lightly.

"Ehem." Mia cleared her throat at the two, "JT can we go home now? I have to put Isabella to bed."

"Yeah." he said as Emma lifted her head from his shoulder, "We'll talk in school." he added to her.

Liberty knew he'd come. It didn't surprise her when she heard a low knock on the door at 11:30. She was surprised that the twins hadn't been asleep when she got home a half-hour before and had basically refused to go to sleep. It was like they were waiting for something. But Liberty thought that was stupid, they were six months old what could they be waiting for? She figured they'd had to long of a nap at daycare that morning.

She opened the door immediately handing him Elizabeth so she could pick up James to attempt to rock him to sleep. No words were exchanged as JT mimicked Liberty's slow rocking movements with Elizabeth. Within 25 minutes the two were sound asleep, and JT nodded to Liberty before walking back to the door and leaving.

Liberty noted a new record in her head.

Please review.

-Em


	4. Chapter 4

Weeks went by and nothing changed. JT would show up at Liberty's after school, staying for no longer than a half hour. They only spoke when absolutely necessary.

"Here." Liberty said during English.

"What's this?" JT whispered back, picking up the key she'd slid on his desk.

"Tonight is bath night. Elizabeth goes first while James sits in his carriage, and then I switch them. I won't be able to open the door for you or hear you knock if I'm in the bathroom with two screaming babies." she said gathering her books.

"Um... okay." JT said uncomfortably. Until now neither of them acknowledged the fact that JT came over everyday after school, out loud.

"If you're not coming tonight then I guess-" Liberty started reaching for the key.

"No- No I am." he said putting his hand behind his back and out of her reach, "I'll uh, I'll see you later." Liberty nodded and left Kwan's room, "Hey uh Liberty." he called following her into the hall.

She stopped and looked at him with one eyebrow up in a confused manner, he was breaking the routine again, "Yes?"

"Do you uh... will you need any help?" he asked in a low voice. She shook her head to indicate she didn't know what he was referring to, "With uh, with their baths... I just- I"

"Sure JT." she said with a small grin, "I'm picking them up from daycare after school then they have to eat. Never give babies baths before you feed them, I learned that the hard way. So about five?"

JT nodded and walked away without a word, leaving Liberty even more confused then she'd been. He walked up to Toby and pushed him into the boy's bathroom, checked to see if anyone was in the stalls and turned back to Toby, "Never give a baby a bath before you feed them? Is she doing this on purpose?"

"What?" Toby asked staring at his best friend like he was insane.

"Liberty."

"Of course." Toby said as if that explained everything, "Let's try again. What?"

"She gave me this key so I can let myself in tonight cause she's giving them baths. I asked her if I can help and she said yeah to be there at five cause she needs to feed them first. You can't feed a baby after you give them a bath, ha ha ha. I know from experience but you don't cause you're such a horrible person I had to run away with the babies before telling you about them." JT explained angrily.

Toby looked at him skeptically, "She said that."

"Well not all that, but it was implied."

"JT, just go there tonight and talk to her." Toby said, pushing him in the direction of the door, "And tell Mia already for God sakes."

"Yeah, yeah." JT mumbled.

It was about a quarter to five and JT was pacing in front of Liberty's door trying to work up the courage to place the key in the keyhole and let himself in. He took a deep breath and stuck the key in, "Come on JT, just turn it already, you've been out there for ten minutes and I have baby food in my hair!" Liberty yelled from inside.

JT rolled his eyes and opened the door, "If you knew I was outside, why didn't you let me in?"

Liberty shrugged and gestured to James. JT walked over and picked him up, "You had to do it for yourself." She reached down and picked up Elizabeth, "Okay now the idea is to get all this gunky food particles off the skin."

"I know what the point of a bath is Liberty." JT said annoyed.

Liberty rolled her eyes and pulled him in front of the mirror. JT glanced at his reflection to find he had ketchup on his cheek from the french fries he'd eaten earlier; "Come on." she sighed. She laid Elizabeth on the changing table, "I'm gonna go run the water, you get them undressed. If their diapers are still clean put them aside. Keep them entertained cause as soon as they know what's going on they'll start screaming their heads off."

"They're the babies Liberty, not me." he mumbled as he set James down next to Elizabeth.

When Liberty was finished running the water she was surprised to find the babies laughing not crying. She walked out to hallway where the changing table was to see JT doing a puppet show for them. She stopped and watched as he made funny voices to amuse the babies.

"You're good at that." she said as he bent down to kiss their cheeks.

"What?" he asked.

"With them. You're good with them JT." she said.

"Thanks, I guess. Are you surprised?" he asked nonchalantly, as he picked up James.

Liberty looked at him. She knew how much he needed to hear her answer, "No."

He nodded, pretending like he didn't care but as he walked into the bathroom she saw the small grin that appeared on his face.

"Okay, now Emma get's the pink baby shampoo and James gets the blue." Liberty said over the crying.

"What's the difference?" JT asked.

"Nothing, I just want them to have a sense of self. To have something that belongs just to them. I mean of course I teach them to share but isn't learning to take care of yourself one of the most important lessons in life?"

"Of course you'd say that." JT muttered as he rubbed a little bit of shampoo on Elizabeth's head.

"What?"

"Nothing." JT shook his head.

"Now when you rinse out her hair she's gonna start to freak out so just make sure you can support her neck." Liberty went on to explain.

He knew she wasn't trying to but every time Liberty flaunted her knowledge of the twins she made JT madder and madder. It's like she was just shoving it in his face that he wasn't in their lives for six months.

"Perfect." She interrupted his thoughts.

"Thanks." he mumbled pulling Elizabeth out of the tub.

"Towel!" Liberty shouted as Elizabeth dripped all over JT and the bathroom floor.

"Sorry." he said reaching for a towel for Elizabeth and handing another to Liberty for James.

"It's fine. Can you take the two of them to the living room? I'll clean up in here." she asked.

"Yeah sure." he said taking one baby in each arm.

While Liberty dried the bathroom floor JT started to rock the twins to sleep in Liberty's rocking chair. He felt like a complete idiot. Not only did he soak Liberty's floor but he also soaked his shirt. Just as James started drifting Liberty walked out to the living room.

"Oh good, you put them in their pajamas." she said relieved.

"James is sleeping, but Elizabeth's still fighting it." he mumbled.

Liberty walked over and took James from his arms; "I'll go put him in his crib."

A few minutes later JT put Elizabeth in the crib and Liberty went to make tea, "Do you want some?"

"Sure." he said. Suddenly he couldn't control himself, "Why did you leave?"

"JT-" she started tiredly.

"No, I need to know Liberty."

"Why? Why do you need to know this? Why, when I've told you I can't?"

"Because."

"JT-"

"Because you left me! Because you left with my children. Children you didn't even tell me about! I don't even know them, Liberty."

"They're six months old JT, what's there to know?" she demanded.

"The kind of shampoo they use, or what happens when you feed them after giving them a bath, or how it always takes longer for Lizzie to fall asleep than it does James."

"Lizzie?" Liberty asked a small grin forming on her lips.

JT ignored her and asked once again, "Why you'd leave Liberty?"

"It's not that simple." she tried.

"No it's actually really simple, Liberty. JT I left because..." Liberty shook her head, and in that moment JT felt such rage flare up in him, that all he wanted to do was kick and scream and break everything around him, so he started with her, "Fine, then I fighting you."

"What?" she asked confused.

"I'm taking you to court. You kept them from me for six months I'm keeping them from you now." he said angrily.

"What are you saying?" she demanded.

"I'm saying you better get a damn good lawyer Liberty."

"Whose gonna give two six month olds to a high school senior who has never spent more than an hour at a time with them?" Liberty asked getting angry.

"Hmm, mother on welfare or father with good paying job, a serious girlfriend he's considering marrying, and a mother and grandma to back him up?" JT pretended to ponder, "Wait where are you're parents anyway?"

Liberty slapped him and shoved him out her door, "Good luck." And with that she slammed the door in his face, and sunk to the ground crying.

Okay don't worry guys, JT isn't that big of a jerk and you know it. He's just angry.

-Em


	5. Chapter 5

"Why?!" JT demanded as he paced around his room, "Why did I say that?"

"Because you're mad." a voice inside his head said.

"I just wanted to know why." he said helplessly.

"No, you needed to know."

"Like there's a difference."

"There is." the voice in his head that had started out sounding like him, was now suddenly beginning to sound like Liberty.

"It doesn't matter. I was an ass to you."

"Uh JT?" Toby asked interrupting his argument with...himself.

The next day Liberty took extras precautions before heading to school, "I don't care if he tells you he's their father, he's not on the list of people that can remove them from here so don't under any circumstances let them leave with anyone other than me. Do we have an understanding?"

"Yes Miss." the worker said.

If JT wanted a war she was gonna be prepared. Of course being prepared made he late for homeroom, and when she got there only one seat was left. It was next to Emma so she was happy...until she saw who was on the other side.

"Liberty." Manny called, "We saved you a seat."

"Thanks." she said sitting next to Emma, kicking JT in the leg on the way down.

"Ow. Geez! Look Liberty-" he started, as he rubbed his leg.

"No talking class is in session." she interrupted.

"I just want to say that I'm-"

"I said shut up."

"But Liberty-" he tried again but she kicked him harder in the shin, "Ahh!" he added in pain.

"Hey JT." Mia said bounding up to him at lunch, "Do you want to do something after school?"

"Uh..." JT started, after school he went over Liberty's. Of course today if he knocked she'd probably tell him to go away. 'But,' he thought as he fingered the key in his pocket, 'I don't really need her to open the door. I just need her to listen.'

"Hello! Earth to JT." she said waving her hand in his face.

"Right sorry." He said snapping back, "I uh, I don't know if I can today."

"But Isabella has been dying to see you." Mia said, "You haven't been free in weeks."

"I know, it's just... it's complicated."

"Then uncomplicate it." she said, "After school at The Dot." Without waiting for a response she walked away.

JT sighed, and hit his head against his locker, just as Liberty was walking by.

"Liberty! Liberty wait!"

"Don't feel like talking JT." she said angrily, "I would say take it up with my lawyer, but I can't afford one, as you pointed out yesterday night I'm on welfare."

"Look I didn't-"

"Do you know that I actually felt bad about leaving? I actually felt guilty about you not being in their lives for the past six months. Right about now I could care less if you ever see them again." she said tearing threatening to spill out her eyes. She didn't mean it. Of course she didn't mean it, but that one second that JT believed her before realizing that she didn't, was about half of what she felt the night before. She wanted to make him hurt, the way he had done to her.

"Liberty." he said the pain evident in his voice, "I'm sorry."

Without responding she turned away and left. When she picked the twins up that afternoon she apologized to the woman who she'd been rude to that morning, and headed home.

As she drove to her apartment Liberty let her mind wander to what it would be like if she never left. If she had just said no and stood her ground. Would JT, Manny, Toby, Emma, and herself be as they had been, the five of them getting out of school together like the old days. The five of them teasing JT when he said something stupid. Her placing his hand on his to show him that she knew he was smart and she was only teasing. JT being there when she had the twins.

When she reached the apartment after picking them up from day care she finally cleared her head of it. She did leave. He has a girlfriend. He's trying to take them away from her. And nothing is like it was. And it never would be again.

JT looked at his watch. It was well after five and Mia hadn't even finished her fries. Isabella was bouncing of the walls and calling him Da every chance she got.

"J. T. Try it with me now J. T." he repeated.

Isabella looked at her mother and pointed to JT, "Da?" Mia smiled.

JT looked up and tilted his head, "Are you teaching her to call me dad?"

"I was hoping she'd have it down by the end of this month. As a surprise, cause it's our six month anniversary in two weeks." Mia said happily.

"But I'm not her dad." JT stated.

"No, but one day maybe." she said unaffected.

"No. I won't ever be her dad because I'm not her dad."

"Her father isn't around. You and I have been dating for half a year. JT what's going on?"

"I have two kids."

Emma had looked up Liberty's address on the computer in Snake's classroom. She knew hacking was against the rules but Snake was her step father how much trouble could she really get into? She checked the piece of paper again and nodded this was Liberty's apartment. She knocked and was greeted by a, "Go away. You're not welcome here anymore!"

"Uh... why? Did I do something?" Emma asked confused through the door.

"Emma?" Liberty called back.

"Yeah."

"Oh, I'm sorry." she said opening the door and letting Emma in, before closing the door she glanced around the hallway quick, "I thought you were JT. So what are you doing here?"

"I figured it was time for you to stop isolating yourself just because you're not ready for people to meet your kids. Speaking of which..." Emma trailed off with her eyebrows raised. She held out her arms, and Liberty finally got the hint, and picked up Elizabeth and handed her to Emma, "Oh, she's as beautiful as JT said. He was right, she looks just like you."

"JT said she looked like me? And that she was beautiful?"

Emma nodded, "So what was that about before? You thought I was JT?"

"JT and I had a fight last night." Liberty said.

"Wanna talk about it?" Emma asked.

Liberty paused and looked at the clock it was almost six thirty and no sign of JT, it was really happening, she turned back to Emma holding her little girl, "You know what I want? I want to be a normal 18-year-old girl for a change. It's Friday, do you wanna have an impromptu party? Just me, you, Manny, Toby, Sean and a couple other people."

"Uh sure. Should we have it at my house?" Emma asked, "And do you have a sitter?"

Liberty shook her head, "It's time."

"Let me just call home." Emma said happily, as she pulled out her cell, "Manny? Party, tonight, Nelson-Simpson-temporarily Santos residence. I'm bringing Liberty and two guests that we want you and Sean to meet. So call him and Toby."

"And Spinner, Jimmy, Ashley- everyone Emma!" Liberty interrupted, "These two are my life and I'm not ashamed of them. I'm not gonna act like I am."

"Spinner, Jimmy, Ashley. Hell call Paige and Ellie at school." Emma said, "And don't worry about mom I'll explain it to her when we get there. She'll understand. Okay good. We'll be there in about an hour."

In truth Liberty only lived about twenty minutes from Emma, but she had to pack up things for the twins and Emma insisted on not only picking out outfits for the twins but a dress for Liberty as well.

"Look this is your debut, and you're gonna do it right." Emma said as she applied make-up to Liberty, "You know I'm not that into the whole girly- girl thing but I want you to look you're best cause everyone there is gonna want to see you, " Emma bent down to kiss the twins, "And they are especially gonna want to see you."

"Fine but is all this make-up really necessary?"

"I'm done." Emma said standing back, "Now let's go."

Liberty and Emma arrived with ten minutes to spare but no one was even there yet. Except of course Spike and Snake.

"I hear from Manny that you're throwing a party. Do you think maybe it might be a good idea to ask your parents before deciding this?" Spike asked.

"I'm sorry mom, but this was important." Emma said.

"Really?" Snake asked, as Liberty walked in pushing a double stroller.

"Mom, Snake, these are Liberty's babies. James and Elizabeth." Emma said.

Liberty smiled sheepishly, "Hi Mrs. Nelson, Mr. Simpson."

"Well," Spike said weakly, "that's a horse of a different color."

"It sure is." Manny said having entered the house unnoticed with Sean and Toby.

Please review. The next chapter is the long awaited explanation from Liberty.

-Em


	6. Chapter 6

A/N- Okay so I started this fic with a description of what happened after Liberty got pregnant. But if any of you have read my other fics you'll know I didn't give you the whole story. Well here it is.

"Not now Toby." JT regretted it instantly when during his fight with Mia he answered his cell phone, "I'll call you back later." he added as Mia glared at him from across the table.

"Get to Emma's" Toby said.

"I'm busy right now Tobes. I'll call you later."

"No not later now. Get here now JT. Liberty needs you." Toby said then hung up.

JT stared at his phone then looked up at Mia and Bella, before saying, "I have to go."

"What?" Mia asked, "JT we're in the middle of a fight."

"I know. I'm sorry but I have to go."

JT wasn't sure why all Toby needed to say was Liberty needed him and suddenly here he was on the Nelson-Simpson porch. It sounded like a party was going on inside, which confused him but he pushed open the door and entered anyway.

"Toby?" he called, becoming even more confused as he passed Paige, Craig, and Marco in the hall.

"JT!" Toby said grabbing his best friend and steering him towards Emma's room.

"Look Liberty, you and I don't really know each other but-" Ellie was talking to Emma's door. JT was about to make one of his famous smart-ass comments when he heard Liberty reply.

"Go away!"

"Next." Ellie mumbled, shrugging to Emma, Manny, and Sean.

"Thanks for trying Elle." Sean said to his ex-girlfriend.

"JT, thank God." Emma said.

"What's going on?" he asked staring at the door.

"Well see I went over to Liberty's after school, and she had this idea to throw a coming out party for her and the babies-" off his look she scolded, "Not out of the closet JT! It was gonna be like a debut. But well more people than we invited showed up. The whole basketball team. Plus one of the basketball teams members best friends. Danny. Well I guess Liberty didn't tell her family she was back in town. They got into an argument and he said he was going home to get their parents. Liberty freaked out. Like really freaked. I don't know why. She grabbed both of them and fled to the basement. She locked herself down there and we haven't been able to get her out."

JT took in all this information and looked around the empty kitchen, just thinking to himself for a minute. He finally turned to the door, "Liberty?" he called gently.

"Leave me alone James Tiberius Yorke. You're lucky I'm not up there cause I would smack that smug smirk off you're face." Liberty yelled up.

"Liberty just let us in to talk." JT said rolling his eyes, "I'm not even smiling. Ask Toby."

"He's not." Toby added.

"It'll only be us five. The old gang. Just the six of us, to talk." he pleaded.

Emma held her breath as she heard soft footsteps coming up the stairs. Liberty unlocked the door and opened it for them to come in. Once everyone was safely inside she locked the door again. JT already had James in his arms by the time Liberty made it back down the stairs. He noted she'd been crying as she bent down to pick up Elizabeth. He had the overwhelming need to hug her, but he held back and instead focused on his son.

"I can't face them," she said quietly as she held Elizabeth close. So close that the little girl started fussing. There was no need to ask whom she was referring to as JT handed James to Sean who awkwardly took him and pried Elizabeth from her hands.

"Why?" he asked.

"Because." she said blinking back tears, she looked up at the ceiling.

It was at that moment that JT realized something, he handed Elizabeth to Emma and sat down next to her, "Liberty, why did you leave?"

"God JT! I can't tell you!" she exclaimed jumping up. JT motioned for the other four to stay where they were, as he stood with her.

"No. Liberty you have to tell me now." he stated standing next to her.

"Or what? You'll give me another one of you're threats of keeping them from me?"

"No. God, Liberty I am so sorry about that. I was angry and I just needed to- I needed to-" he was grasping trying to find the right words.

"You were trying to hurt me JT. Congratulations it worked." she said.

"Liberty I'm sorry. I'm really sorry. But that's not why you have to tell me." he said.

"JT, it's not that simple. I can't just tell you." she said blinking back her tears, "I can't just tell any one of you."

JT grabbed her shoulders and made her look at him, "Liberty tell me."

She shook her head as the tears fell.

"Liberty Van Zandt!" the six teens heard a voice roar.

"Liberty." JT pleaded.

"Liberty you open this door now! You are in so much trouble young lady!" Liberty's dad yelled through the door.

"Why'd you leave?" JT pressed shaking her shoulders, "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I couldn't." she sobbed.

"Why couldn't you tell me?" he rephrased, as Liberty cried harder.

"JT." Toby said, but JT ignored him. Manny placed her hand on his arm and shook her head.

"I wanted to JT! You were the only one I wanted to know." she cried.

"Then what happened Liberty?" he asked knowing that she would tell him this time.

"I told my mom. When I figured it out I went to her. It was Monday morning, you and I were supposed to meet for breakfast but I knew. You just know. She was right there outside the bathroom and I said to her 'Mom I think I'm pregnant' and she took me from the hallway to my room, and she told me to wait there. When she came back my dad was with her," Liberty hiccupped from crying, "He asked if I was the daughter he raised? Then when I said yes and that I was sorry. He slapped me."

Emma gasped, and JT shushed her as he turned back to Liberty, "And then?"

"Then he told me I was a whore. He told me I was never allowed to see you again and that I was to have an abortion. If I didn't he'd beat me till I lost them. The abortion would be a lot less painful. And then, " Liberty took a breath, "then right when he said that I felt something. I know I was only a few months pregnant but I felt something move. I swear it JT. I swear I did."

"I believe you." he assured.

"They sent me to my aunt's in New York. I was to have the abortion there and come home. I wasn't allowed to see you anymore. Any of you."

"I'm getting a screw driver!" Liberty's mom yelled from the other side of the door.

"When I got there I told my aunt I didn't want to give up my baby. She told me I didn't have to, but I had to pay for everything. Doctors appointments, diapers, everything. But I also had to keep it a secret. I told them I had the abortion but I wanted to stay with my aunt. I told them I didn't want to have to see you anymore cause I hated you, but that wasn't true." she said quickly.

"I know, I know." he said as he and Liberty sank to the floor, she continued.

"When I turned 18 I made the decision to come back. I figured Danny was in year ten. What were the chances of me running in to him. We had different lunch times, different class times, plus even if he saw me there was nothing he could say, as far as they knew I got rid of them. At least as far as they knew till I had this stupid idea. Why didn't I think JT? I always think! But tonight I didn't." she started sobbing again.

JT pulled her into a hug as her father banged on the basement door, "When are your parents getting home Em?" he asked urgently.

"They said they wanted to give us privacy once they met the twins. They thought it was just gonna be a few friends, that's it." she said upset.

"Call them now." he said calmly, as Liberty cried into his chest how sorry she was, "Toby call someone upstairs and make sure everyone gets out of the house." Liberty took deep breaths trying to get control of herself as the twins started crying, "Okay Liberty. It's okay. I won't let anything happen to you or our children."

Liberty nearly choked on the water Manny had gotten her. JT had never referred to them as their children. He'd either said her babies or his twins. Never theirs.

"Relax." JT almost laughed, he had no idea what was going through her mind. And for that she was thankful. If JT had mind reading abilities he'd probably be watching the new episode of JT and Liberty the happily married couple. It was a sitcom and a drama. Which was why Liberty enjoyed it so much.

On todays episode she and JT were going to the park.

"Is she okay?" Manny asked, noticing that Liberty seemed to be off in her head somewhere.

"She just had a panic attack Manny." Emma said hanging up the phone, looking distressed, "And her parents are basically banging down my bedroom door."

"Calm down." JT ordered helping Liberty to Emma's bed and placing James in her arms. By now Liberty had stopped crying, and was returning to her normal Liberty mom mode.

As the last hinge came off Emma's door JT put Elizabeth's car seat on the bed next to her. Sean pushed Emma down next to her, JT pointed at Manny and then pointed to the bed. She had never seen the take-charge side of JT, so Manny decided to sit on the bed, and not take the chance.

"Liberty Van Zandt!" her father said.

"Dad." she replied stiffly as she placed a protective hand over Elizabeth and held James close.

"And what may I ask are those?" he asked as the two began descending the stairs.

"Our children." JT said standing protectively in front of the bed the girls were on.

"Don't make me laugh." her mother said.

"Yeah 911?" Toby said into his cell phone, "Two people have broken down my friends bedroom door and are now threatening six teenagers and two six month olds."

"Seven." JT corrected with a smile to his best friend.

Toby nodded, "Excuse me, I meant seven month olds. Right you'll be here in how long? Thanks."

"I'd suggest you leave now." JT said.

Liberty's parents exchanged glances, and without another word started walking up the stairs. Liberty let out the breath she didn't know she was holding.

"I have to get them home." she said quickly assessing the situation.

"Yeah but you need to be here to talk to the police." Emma said.

"The police aren't coming." Liberty said packing the nearby bottles and blankets.

"What?" Manny asked.

"Please did you not see the looks passing between these two?" she asked pointing at JT and Toby.

"She's right." JT admitted taking the bags from Liberty, and making her sit back down while he finished gathering the baby items, "We were just lucky my phone was on silent." he added pulling his phone out of his pocket which was flashing, 'missed call from Toby'

Please review.

-Em


	7. Chapter 7

A/N- Okay so this is the chapter where most of your questions will be answered. Plus Liberty's parents aren't gone from the story yet, don't worry they'll be back. Or on second thought, worry they'll be back. Anyway I'm hoping some of you will like the Liberty/JT stuff going on in this chapter, to make up for the stuff in last chapter.

After JT helped her secure the twins in the car, she apologized to Emma and Manny about their bedroom door and even offered to pay for any damages.

"Are you kidding me?" Emma asked pulling Liberty in for a hug.

"You're our girl and we love you." Manny said hugging the two of them.

"And we're so sorry this happened to you." Emma added.

"Get some rest." Sean said hugging Liberty good-bye, "Anyone gives you any trouble you call me."

"I will." Liberty promised nodding; she hugged Toby and turned around to find JT playing with the twins who were in their car seats. She couldn't help but grin, "JT, time for me to go."

"Oh okay. Well um... yeah." JT kissed both of the twins and stood up, he shifted awkwardly from foot to foot, "I guess I'll see you."

"Yeah." she nodded, and walked to the drivers side of the car.

After she pulled away, Sean looked at JT, "So do I have to kick your ass or are you gonna go after her to make sure she's all right?"

"Going." JT said.

Liberty set the car seats on the floor of the living room. It was well past nine by then. She was hungry but she didn't feel like cooking. She didn't even feel like being alone. On the way home the thought had occurred to her that if both JT and Emma could get her address, Danny and her parents should have no problems. It was that thought that had been haunting her, and now every dark room in her house was intimidating, every time she tried to get up to change out of her party dress fear would overcome her and she'd sit back down on the couch.

The way she was acting sickened her. She was Liberty Van Zandt, and here she was afraid of her own dark apartment. She shook her head and stood, before she could even make it past the kitchen she heard a key in her lock, and froze. Liberty took a deep breath and very quietly walked back over to the car seats with an umbrella in her hands. As the person entered the apartment Liberty stood with the unopened umbrella raised over her head yelling in fear.

JT looked up with a pizza in his arms as Liberty was about to attack him with an umbrella, "Ahh! Geez Liberty!"

"JT?" she yelled.

"Yeah it's me. I brought you some pizza cause I thought you probably didn't feel like cooking, and," JT paused and looked pointedly over Liberty's head, "You mind not threatening me with an umbrella?"

"Sorry," she said lowering it, "I thought you were some psycho or... my parents."

"Same thing." JT said, then he glanced around the apartment, "Liberty why is the living room lamp the only light on in here?"

"Because I didn't want to waste electricity. God JT don't you care about the environment at all?" Liberty asked.

"Too scared to venture to the other parts of the apartment?" he asked. She glared at him for a minute, and then nodded, "Okay, give me the umbrella, you eat, I'll go check to make sure no psychotic parents are hiding out in your rooms."

Liberty handed him the umbrella while he handed her the pizza box. She almost laughed as he did an overly exaggerated stealth walk. He then threw himself to the floor and rolled down her hall. Liberty rolled her eyes and set the box on the kitchen counter. As she heard JT making loud noises through her apartment only trying to get her to laugh, which he was succeeding at, she pulled out two plates and glasses. When JT finally came out of the hall looking all disheveled, she set the plates on the coffee table and gave him a hug, "Thank you."

"You're uh... you are welcome." he said hugging her back.

"Will you... will you stay for a little while? Have some pizza?" she asked pointing to the two plates.

JT looked down at the plates then back at her and grinned, "Sure."

About an hour later both JT and Liberty were sitting on the couch with Elizabeth and James between them. Liberty looked at JT playing with the babies.

"JT?" she asked suddenly not able to look at him.

"Yeah? Oh right." he said completely misunderstanding as he followed her gaze to the clock, "Yeah, I guess it is late. I better-"

"No that's not- well I mean if you want to go- but I wasn't."

"Okay." he said getting comfortable again, "So what's up?"

"You know how I told you why I left before?"

"Yeah." he said trying to reposition the babies in his lap.

"I didn't tell you the whole story. What I've been doing for the past year... why I never called." she still wasn't making eye contact.

"You don't have to if you don't want to."

Liberty shook her head, "No JT, I've been unfair to you. I have to tell you all of it."

"Okay." he said.

"JT, I loved you so much. You were my world. For four years I had a crush on you and suddenly you saw me, and you liked me back and at sixteen I was convinced I had found the love of my life. Over the first summer when we had sex on my sixteenth birthday I was so happy, with you." she looked uncomfortable talking about it, but she continued, "I already told you what happened when I found out I was pregnant."

"Yeah." he nodded, "And the fact that they are you family is the only reason I'm not in jail for murdering them right now."

Despite herself Liberty smile. She couldn't help it. She left a year ago and he still wanted to protect her. Well maybe not her, but their children at least. "So after I convinced my aunt and lied to my parents I stayed at my aunts. I started getting home schooled and working as a waitress. Everyday that went by I'd pick up the phone and try to will myself to call you, but something would always get in the way. I thought you hated me, which happened to be true," JT made a noise to interrupt but she held her hand up and he let her continue, "My first night in the city I cried myself to sleep. When I had Elizabeth and James, I cried cause I was alone. The day I got fired from my waitressing job I cried cause I wasn't sure how I was going to support them or me. In fact the only thing I seemed to be able to do was cry. It wasn't until the week of my eighteenth birthday that I finally stopped, I was lying in bed with Elizabeth and James on either side of me and my aunt walked in. She told me that unless I got a new job I couldn't stay with her. But by that point I had spent a whole month doing nothing but spending time with them, and I couldn't imagine going back to work, but I knew I had to start looking for a job. While I was looking someone mentioned to me that I might be eligible for welfare. That night as I was brushing my teeth I finally caught my own eyes in the mirror for the first time in months. I looked awful. Here I was the mother of two month olds and I was so depressed I was basically wasting away. That wasn't me. I wasn't that girl, the one that cries and runs and breaks down. I owed it to them to come back, I owed it to you."

JT took a few minutes to process all of this before speaking, "I don't hate you. When you left I was mad, but I didn't hate you. Liberty you are probably the one person- well one of three, " he added looking pointedly at the twins, "that I can never get mad at. The day Danny told me to stop calling you didn't live there anymore I fell apart, not like you did. I didn't cry or anything but it was like a part of me went away. This is really mushy and incredibly awkward but I didn't feel completely whole again until the day I held Lizzie for the first time or when I came over her fully intending to yell at you but you handed me James and he looked at me like he was really seeing me, as his dad even."

"JT?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"I'm really sorry I never called."

"It's okay." he said placing his hand on hers for a few seconds.

Liberty sighed and looked around, "Would you think I'm crazy if I ask you to check the apartment again?"

He smiled and nodded, "Yes, yes I would. " but he shifted the babies to her and got up anyway.

A half hour later Liberty and JT were sitting on the couch, Liberty in her pajamas, each holding a baby.

"Do you wanna watch some tv? They've been thrown off schedule so I don't know when I'm gonna be able to get them to sleep." she said, as James wriggled happily in her arms.

"Uh yeah sure." JT glanced at the clock it was well after eleven but he had no intention of leaving any time soon, "Liberty?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm glad you came back."

"Me too, JT." she said as she tentively leaned her head on his shoulder.

For one night at least Liberty felt safe with her head on JT's shoulder, and their children in her arms.

Okay guys what do you think? I hope you liked it. And no, I haven't forgotten about Mia, unfortunately she'll be back. Please review.

-Em


	8. Chapter 8

JT shifted a little trying to get more comfortable. Liberty groaned lightly in her sleep. JT's eyes shot open as he tried to register where he was. Yesterday's events came rushing back to him. The party, coming back to Liberty's, trying to get the twins to sleep, watching a movie, falling asleep on the couch... Liberty's head on his chest... James and Elizabeth is their arms...

Elizabeth was looking up at him smiling like he'd woken up only to entertain her, "Shh." he whispered to her, trying to figure out how he was gonna get himself and Lizzie up without waking Liberty and James, "Come on little girl." he very slowly slipped out from under Liberty and replaced himself with a pillow. He then covered her with a blanket and put a pacifier in James's mouth.

JT wondered if his grandma noticed he never came home last night. Truth be told with Elizabeth in his arms he really didn't care. But he figured he should probably at least call after breakfast. As he searched Liberty's fridge for something edible he tried to come up with some sort of plan. The whole reason he'd stayed over the night before, besides the fact that he'd accidentally fallen asleep and had no choice in the matter from that point, was so that Liberty would feel safe. Showing up with the pizza was evidence enough that she was terrified... and not very armed... he looked at the umbrella that he'd leaned against the wall last night. Pulling out eggs and bacon he tried to imagine he was Liberty, "Okay so if I was mommy I would keep a frying pan...?" he trailed off asking Elizabeth who just gargled nonsense words, "Very helpful Sweetness." he added kissing her cheek, and tried a random cabinet.

Liberty sighed in her sleep. Dreaming another new episode of Liberty and JT the young married couple. In today's episode they were just sitting on the couch together. Not talking, just looking at one another. Finally JT spoke up, "Very helpful Sweetness."

"What's helpful?" she asked confused.

"Found it." he answered.

"Found what?" she tried to understand.

"Now we are in business baby." he said clapping his hands together.

Liberty was half awake now as she heard JT talking to Elizabeth. She wanted to ask what he was doing, but apparently her mouth wasn't awake yet, so she just listened to him in the kitchen playing with "Lizzie Bug."

JT glanced over to the couch where Liberty was stirring, "Look Lizzie, mommy's waking up."

Liberty looked over and smiled, "Morning."

"Good Morning." he smiled back grabbing plates from the cabinet.

"How long have you been awake?" she asked sitting up.

"Long enough to make you a fabulous breakfast, make a grocery list, and search through your dvds to discover you have really bad taste, so when I get the groceries I'm picking up movies at blockbuster."

Liberty smiled, not caring that he said she had bad taste. He was staying. She didn't have to ask him to, he just knew she needed him.

"As soon as James wakes up," JT continued, "I'm gonna take them both with me to the store and you can shower." He handed her a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast, and a glass of orange juice.

"Thanks." she said.

By the end of the day JT had made her watch Little Miss Sunshine, Grind, and Spiderman. While she in turn had made him watch The Princess Bride, My Cousin Vinny, and The Prince and Me. He liked My Cousin Vinny and even found The Princess Bride funny at parts, but he definatly made his voice heard about The Prince and Me.

"It was a chick flick." he insisted.

"It was wonderful." she protested.

"Come on he just wanted to get some."

"He loved her." Liberty said.

"Whatever." he said rolling his eyes, "Peter Parker and Mary Jane, now theres a love story."

"I will admit I didn't hate it." Liberty said wiping Elizabeth's mouth.

"Ha, see James, mommy loved every movie da- I picked out." JT said.

Liberty stared at him before turning to her son, "Yeah, yeah, let's just hope you don't get your daddy's ego."

For the whole month JT had been coming to see them, never once had he ever referred to himself as dad. Liberty had never either until now. He slowly smiled, "My ego is a perfect size. You'd be lucky if you inherited it, instead of your mom's confidence to the point of social retardation."

"JT?" she asked.

"Yeah?"

"I'm scared." she stated.

"I know." he nodded.

"Thanks for staying with me." she added as she lifted James into the air, much to the little boy's delight.

"Liberty, I'm not going anywhere til you feel safe." That's all. Just a nine-word statement.

"So you're staying forever?"

JT smiled as he attempted to burp Elizabeth, "I don't think it'll take that long."

Sunday morning came the same way Saturday had. They'd fallen asleep on the couch after a long movie marathon, JT realized he still hadn't called home, and Liberty still insisted her "Chick Flicks" were better than JT's "Macho Action Movies."

"I have to let everyone at home know I'm still alive." he said after breakfast.

"Oh, okay." Liberty said softly.

"But uh, maybe you can come, and see my grandma?" he asked, "I'm sure she'd want to meet them."

"Yeah, meet them. I suppose she'd want to meet the twins she'd be partially supporting?" Liberty asked, not angry but it still made JT stop what he was doing and look embarrassed.

"Liberty I-" he started, "What I said in Emma's basement I meant. I'm sorry I said what I said to you. I was angry and stupid and it was wrong. As much as I love them, and I do love them, I would never take them from you."

"I know that now JT." she said, knowing that he needed to hear her say it.

"I don't think it was your fault." he said suddenly, "When you left. I'm not mad at you, I never hated you. And it's okay that you never called."

Liberty stared at her hands for a few minutes, until she noticed a few wets spots forming on them, it wasn't till her vision blurred that she realized she was crying. It wasn't till JT pulled her into his arms that she realized she'd been sobbing, "Hey, hey shh. Come on, I didn't mean to upset you."

She shook her head, "You didn't. I just- I just- I'm sorry."

"The whole point of me telling you that was so that you didn't have to say you're sorry." he said, "But if it will make you feel better, I'll forgive you if you forgive me."

Liberty looked at JT's outstretched pinky and linked hers with it, "Deal."

"Would you relax?" JT asked as Liberty fidgeted in the car as he pulled into his driveway.

"I can't help it. Your grandma probably hates me. I mean what exactly have you told her about me and the babies?" Liberty asked.

"Nothing." JT said attempting to undo the car seats.

"Excuse me?"

"I haven't told her anything. Yet." he said, tilting his head at the knot he'd managed to get the seat belt into.

"Are you serious? JT please tell me you're telling one of your annoying jokes." she said undoing the knot and the car seat.

"How-?" He started, but shook his head, "Super mom." he muttered under his breath and gave her a grin despite himself.

"JT!" she said, ignoring his comment.

"Well I'm obviously gonna tell her now." he said taking James.

"She's gonna hate me." Liberty groaned.

"Not as much as she'll hate me for not telling her I've known about them for almost a month and a half." JT shrugged.

"I hate you." she muttered.

"Do not." he said opening the door, he held it open for her, but she only glared at him.

"You think I'm entering the lions den first? Move it cannon fodder." she said.

He rolled his eyes and walked in, "Grandma?"

"JAMES TIBERIOUS YORKE!"

"No, she's not mad at all." Liberty whispered sarcastically to Elizabeth.

"Where the hell have you been?" his grandma asked, "Oh my- Liberty Van Zandt?"

"Hi Mrs. Yorke." Liberty said sheepishly.

"Grandma, I've been at Liberty's for the past couple days. She came back into town about a month ago, and brought James and Elizabeth, " JT gestured to the car seats they'd placed on the table, "Our children."

All the color drained from JT grandmas face, as Liberty turned to him, "That's how you tell her?"

"What's wrong with that?"

"You just sent her into shock! JT you're supposed to break news like this gently! God. Mrs. Yorke, are you okay?" she asked, after hitting JT.

"I just- I need a minute."

"Of course." Liberty said, "JT get her some water."

"But-"

"Now." Liberty ordered.

"My house... I live here... I don't have to get water..." JT mumbled as he walked towards the kitchen.

"You... you had them all by yourself? With no help from him?" Mrs. Yorke asked.

Liberty looked at her feet, "It wasn't his fault. I couldn't tell him. My parents sent me away. I'm sorry."

"I'm not accusing you of anything, Liberty." she said, putting her hand on Liberty's.

Liberty nodded, "Well I was living with my aunt in NY, but she wasn't there when I had them. I got in a cab, went to the hospital, after I had them we checked out and went back to my aunts apartment. A couple months later I moved back here. JT's been really good with helping me. That's where he was last night and the night before. I'm really sorry I kept him."

"Heres your water." JT said placing it on the table and unbuckling Elizabeth, "Come on Liz, stop whining. No ones buying it."

"We may not be buying her fake whimpers but you are picking her up, which is what she wanted when she started the tears." Liberty pointed out with a small laugh.

"James Tiberious Yorke." Mrs. Yorke said, he looked over a little frightened, "Hand me that gorgeous child."

"Well that went better than expected." Liberty stated as she snapped the car seat into place.

"I do agree that it could have been worse, but my grams got really possessive over them, I was afraid she wasn't gonna let us leave." JT said handing James a pacifier.

"JT!" Mrs. Yorke called from the porch.

"We have to get them home now grams." he called back with a grin to Liberty.

"No, Mia's on the phone."

"Oh." he said dropping his gaze from Liberty.

"I'll uh... I'll wait in the car." Liberty mumbled.

"Tell her I'll see her in school." he called and climbed into he driver seat.

"We're okay JT, you can go talk to your girlfriend."

"Yeah I know... it's just that this conversation would probably last a while." he said starting the car, "Tomorrow morning is gonna be hard enough. Having to go back to school after Friday night, I'd like to delay the inevitable a little while longer."

Liberty nodded, and despite herself went into another JT and Liberty the young married couple.

"So was it hard?" he asked.

"Was what hard?" she asked snapping out of her day dream.

"Leaving."

"Hardest thing I've ever had to do, and that includes labor." she answered truthfully.

Okay I know this was a weird chapter but it was mostly supposed to be JT/Liberty fluff, mixed with a few things I had to get out of the way, i.e. grandma. Please Review.

-Em


End file.
